History: The original Centaur Hovertank was developed in the late 1990s by the World Unification Alliance, one of the two major factions of the Global War. (Specifically, it was the side to which Robotech characters Henry Gloval, Roy Fokker, Emil Lang and Admiral Nicholas Hayes [Lisa's father] belonged).

In many ways, the Centaur was a breakthrough design for its time; in fact, it was too advanced for existing technology to make it viable. The gas turbine engines were woefully fuel inefficient, and the hover jets had to be of the 'hot' variety, requiring additional fuel to be ignited in them to provide sufficient lift (as opposed to a cool jet system, that used ducted air for lift - pre-SDF-1 technology cold not make turbine blades strong enough for this use). While the tank used the same rounds as the M109 self-propelled howitzer, its autoloader only had room for two dozen rounds, further limiting the tank's effectiveness on the field. The design also had a launcher integral to the turret, that launched Hellfire anti-armor missiles (Damage as medium HE [Heavy], but range as SRM).

These liabilities were somewhat offset by the tanks limited ability to transform. When transformed, the tank's fuselage lifts to a height of up to 18 feet, allowing the tank to "pop up" from concealment, while leaving its vulnerable hover components "hull down" behind cover. Also while in this mode, two weapon arms deploy, under the operation of the driver/gunner. In the initial pre-Visitor (SDF-1) production model, one arm was a derivative of the M134 7.62mm rotary machinegun, while the other arm could be either a 20mm autocannon, or twin-mounted .50 caliber (12.7mm) heavy machineguns. All were effective on lighter targets that the tank commander/primary gunner bypassed.

With the arrival of the SDF-1, and its technological bonanza, the Centaur design began to mutate with each major discovery. By 2008, the Centaur had seen radical change, some seeing three refits while in service. It was in 2008 that the design was relegated to second-line duty, discontinued in favor of the presumably more versatile 1-man Destroid designs. The irony was that the Centaur was just as tough as a Destroid, much faster, more mobile, and was much lower in profile, even with the turret fully telescoped up.

The source from inside the SDF-1 for many of the upgrades also is full of irony, as the majority of the items provided in the upgrades were reverse-engineered parts of Regult Tactical Battle Pods and Male Power Armors. The salvage was found in various states of damage in the SDF-1's recycling center holding area by the investigative team, providing some of the initial information on the Zentraedi. What had been the auxiliary fusion power unit that provided 90% of the power to operate a Regult pod (the other 10% was the Protoculture power source) was reverse-engineered into the power plant of the tank, allowing (with materials technology advances) the switch to a cool jet system, and the exchanging of many of the projectile systems for energy weapons. The tank went from a cannon, to a plasma cannon (based off the MPA shoulder weapon) to a short-barreled version of the standard Zentraedi mecha particle beam cannon.

It was these tanks second-line status that resulted in many of them assigned to lower priority stations - and even some ultra-high priorities that had to pretend to be low priority. It was one of the latter, the South American Grand Cannon, that would have its Centaurs feature predominantly on the Malcontent Wars. In the years following the "Rain of Death", any military vehicle was worth its weight in gold - especially heavy combat models.

In the years following Dolza's death, the unfinished Grand Cannon was captured by Zentraedi, then liberated by Jonathan Wolfe. This was one of the contributing factors to the founding of Cavern City, in one of the distant underground facilities built to support the cannon. Cavern City would salvage everything usable from the cannon to further its existence, and supply the RDF with vital components. Along the way, Wolfe discovered a dozen mothballed Centaurs, and immediately began restoring for the use of the town's defense forces, which he headed. After breaking four down for parts, and several unorthodox procurement missions for additional parts (of dubious legality), the remaining tanks were christened the Wolfe Pack, and a legend was born. The Wolfe Pack used the Centaurs until 2019, including a skirmish during the "Insanity Plague" incident where they fought their way out of a Southern Cross ambush with minimal damage to themselves, despite being outnumbered three to one by more modern Spartas Veritech Hovertanks and Logans!

Type: Fusion-powered multi-modal hovertank.

Crew: Two; Driver (operates weapon arms) and Commander (fires main armament)

Manufactured by: The same U.E.D.C. contractors as the Excaliber Destroid.

Main Body/Turret*: 250
Commander's Cockpit**: 80
Reinforced Pilot's Compartment (Driver): 120
Particle Beam Cannon Barrel**: 30
Turret Missile Launcher Cover**: 60
Sensor Array (slung under turret, between "legs")**: 40
Leg Struts (2): 100 each
Leg Hover Systems (forward; 1 per leg): 75 each
Leg Hover Systems/Thrusters (rear; 1 per leg): 60 each
Center Rear Thrusters (2)**: 40 each
Gun Arms**#: 30 each (all types)
Recoil damping cables(4)**: 10 each
positioning wheels (8)***: 10 each

* Destroying the Turret/Main Body shuts down the tank.

** Require called shot at an additional -3 penalty to hit, from size and/or location.

***These wheels are -10 to hit, and effectively act as landing wheels for the tank. Losing 2 or more of these wheels on one side makes landing and takeoff attempts require a pilot hovercraft roll at -5% (-20% if both sides damaged this way). Failure results are up to GM and situational modifiers.

# Only exposed during Transformed mode.

In Tank mode: can reach speeds of 160 MPH; reduce speed by 20% for each rear thruster destroyed, 30% for each leg hover section destroyed (rear leg sections count as both, for a -50% penalty).

With Turret telescoped: 50 MPH, but pilot gets no combat bonuses if attempting to pilot at speeds over 10 MPH while using the Weapon Arms.

Height: 9 feet as a tank, up to 18 feet telescoped.

Width: 15 feet; 18 feet with turret telescoped (legs spread outward slightly)

Length: 28 feet; 25 feet with turret telescoped (legs constrict slightly)

Weight: 18 tons (Mk III-V). The Mk II massed about 28.4 tons, including fuel, and had an operational range of 120 miles (200 km).

Fuel Supply: One year supply of fuel for the fusion reactor.

1. Particle Beam Cannon, PBC-08: is identical to the Regult Tactical Battle Pod weapon, except that the shorter barrel reduces range.

Primary Purpose: Assault/defense
Mega-Damage: 4D10 per blast
Range: 3200 feet
Payload: Unlimited
Rate of Fire: As per Pilot's combined Hand to Hand attacks.

2. 2. Heavy Missile Pods(2): mounted under a protective lid next to the PBC, they are each identical to the system mounted above the right shoulder of the Excaliber Destroid. Each unit launches a total of six, medium range, medium warhead missiles. The missiles can be launched one at a time or in volleys of two. Each volley counts as one attack.

Primary Purpose: Assault/defense
Missile Types: Medium range, guided missiles. Specific warheads vary.
Mega-Damage: Varies with specific warheads, as does range.
Rate of Fire: Individually or in volleys of two.
Payload: Six missiles per launcher, for a total of twelve. Manual reload,
from somebody outside, requires the proper equipment and takes 6 melees.

3. 3. Weapon Arms: The weapon arm systems are modular; any two arms can be used, and take 6 man-hours to swap one arm for another, provided the other arm type is available. Two identical arms are almost never used, as the ammunition space for the projectile arms is limited enough with only one present. The angle of fire for the arm weapons is limited to a 45 degree arc up and down, 90 degrees right and left. Note: The picture to the right shows arm types 3(right arm) and 4 (left arm).
1. 7.62mm Rotary Machinegun: Primarily an S.D.C. weapon, it can inflict minor amounts of M.D.C. to items with a base M.D.C. total under 20 (2000 S.D.C.).

Primary Purpose: Antipersonnel
Mega-Damage: 4D6x10 S.D.C. (0-2 M.D.) for short burst, 8D6x10 S.D.C.(1D4 M.D.)
for long burst; full melee burst not possible. Bursts are considered to be 
one attack regardless of the length). If used to spray, treat as one burst 
category higher than the actual burst size, due to rate of fire.
Payload: 3000 rounds (a short burst uses 60 rounds, a long burst 120 rounds)
Range: 2000ft (600m)

2. Twin barrel M-89 12.7mm machinegun: Identical to the head-mounted weapon of the Excaliber Destroid.

Primary Purpose: Antipersonnel
Mega-Damage: 2D4 M.D. for short burst, 4D4 M.D. for long burst, or 
1D4x10 M.D. for one full melee of continuous fire (each burst is considered 
to be one attack regardless of the length).
Payload: 500 rounds (a short burst uses 10 rounds, long burst 20 rounds
and full burst 40 rounds).
Range: 2000ft (600m)

3. Triple-barreled Laser: These lasers are similar to those later used for the head lasers on the VF-1 Veritechs. They have the long burst option, as well as the ability to be used as cutting tools.

Primary Purpose: Assault/Defense Weapon.
Secondary Purpose: Tool for cutting.
Range:  2000 ft (609 m)
Mega-Damage: 1D4 M.D. per laser, or 3D4 for a volley of all three at once.
One, long, extended blast lasts on full melee and does double damage; counts as
two attacks that melee and can not be used against fast moving/dodging opponents.
Payload: Unlimited

4. TZ-II Gun Cluster: Expanded versions of this system (the TZ-III and TZ-IV) eventually saw service on the Excaliber and Gladiator Destroids. Each TZ-II gun cluster contains the following: (1) laser, (1) 20mm auto cannon, and (1) flamethrower. Their stats are:

Laser does 2D6 mega-damage (M.D.). Range 2000 ft (609.6m). Payload: unlimited.
20mm Auto Cannon does 1D6 M.D. short burst, 2D6 M.D. long burst, 4D6 M.D. 
for one full melee of continuous fire. Range is 4000 ft (1200m). Payload is
limited to 240 rounds. 32 shells are fired per melee on a full melee burst,
16 in a long burst and 8 in a short burst.
Flamethrower does 5D10 S.D.C. (not M.D.; ineffectual against any mecha).
Range is 200 ft, rate of fire is two per melee with a total of 30 blasts.
Note: Will ignite all combustible material; 40% chance of igniting fuel tanks.

4. Special Equipment: The tank has 4 recoil damping cables which it can fire into the ground, and reel back in as needed. This is primarily for firing while the hover jets are active. (Adds +1 to strike, but prevents dodge).
5. Combat Bonuses: +2 to strike (plus Weapon Systems bonus), +3 to dodge and roll with impact/explosion. Persons with Pilot Hovercraft and Pilot Tanks get an additional attack per melee when at either set of controls of a Centaur.